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February 25th should have been a great day for Madeline Soto,

her 13th birthday, celebrating a new phase in her life,

becoming a teenager. There was a party, but her mother

Jen Soto could not make it. But her mother's live-in boyfriend was there,

Stephen Stearns. A man who had been in Madeline's life for at least a couple of years.

In fact, Jen referred to him as Madeline's stepfather even though they were not married.

The next day, Jen and and Stephen say Stephen gave Madeline a ride to school.

They also say Madeline was embarrassed and did not want to get dropped off in front of the school,

so she was dropped off at a church parking lot less than half

a mile away. That's the last time they say anyone had contact with her.

Investigators say the evidence paints a much different picture.

They claim they have evidence of Stern's

dumping Madeline's laptop and backpack in a dumpster

and have images of Madeline dead inside Stern's car.

Madeline never made it to school and was found four days later in some brush,

17 miles from their home in Kissimmee, Florida.

Stearns was arrested after images of Madeline being sexually assaulted

were allegedly found on his phone,

some dating back to when Madeline was just 11.

But at this point, there have been no charges related to her death.

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